A Weekend Near Santa Barbara

In my effort to keep up a record of life in general, I have been terribly delinquent. Indeed as one of my friends wisely said regarding a life with young kids, "the days are long but the years are short." Suddenly, Winston is transitioning into the next class at his daycare center, and the summer of 2012 is almost over. 

We took a weekend trip to a resort ranch near Santa Barbara, mostly to meet up with friends who also have kids. We left the day after Winston was seen by a pediatrician for a 3-day long fever that just would not go away. I was rendered distraught again (you would think that after so many illnesses of Winston's I would be emotionally immune but I am not). Still, we decided to go since there was not anything else we could do for him except for to watch over him carefully. He was holding onto this purple blanket the whole time so he was fairly content. He took a short nap in the car and was generally quiet, perhaps due to lack of energy. The resort ranch provided food, and therefore it was one of those destinations meant for really lazy people. There was no cell phone coverage where the ranch is, but when we drove to nearby Santa Barbara and Solvang certainly we could access email and cell phone.  The rooms and cabins were modest and sufficient but nothing fancy. The two friends who joined us there from San Diego were really fun-loving. One has an 8-year old boy whose appetite is nothing short of a miracle, with his energy level even more so. The other has a 7-year old girl who adored Winston and insisted that he's her favorite boy. When asked if she wanted a baby sister or brother, she said that she wanted a baby brother just like Winston. Fortunately for her, her mother is expecting a baby boy.

There was not much to do there. The older kids went horseback riding. There is a swimming pool, and nearby Santa Barbara and Solvang are fine places to visit perhaps once in one's life time. Excitement would not be the right word for this place, but I had loads of fun. We ate the delicious home-made food at the dining hall with friends, and we played cards late into the night while the kids were asleep. 

Winston kind of just roamed around. He's too young for horseback riding, and he's not interested in learning to swim. He still has this unhealthy fascination with doors, but he's also talking to people which was lovely. Sometimes when I look at him, I am amazed by how utterly oblivious he is to the fact that he's just divinely funny and cute.